Didactic Curriculum

Geriatric Psychiatry and Medicine Fellows Seminar

This weekly seminar is run jointly by the faculty in Geriatric Psychiatry and Medicine, and is designed to give fellows from both disciplines thorough grounding in the essential topics in geriatric psychiatry and medicine. The seminars include a review of the relevant literature and give the fellows the opportunity to consolidate knowledge about the fundamentals of geriatric medicine and psychiatry. The fellows also have the opportunity to foster their own scholarship and develop skills for the critical analysis of the research literature around a pertinent topic. At the end of the academic year, each Fellow presents an evidence-based lecture on the topic of her or his choice. Participants also include psychiatry residents, medical students, PharmD students, APRNs, and neuropsychology interns.

Sample Geropsychiatry and Geriatric Medicine Didactic Schedule

Geriatric Assessment I

Geriatric Assessment II

Normal Aging

Geropharmacology

MCI

Alzheimer’s Dementia

Overview of non-AD Dementias

Pharmacological Management of Behavioral issues in Dementia

Delirium

Risk of Atypicals in the Elderly

Pharmacology of AD

Neuropsychological Testing

Caregiver Burden

Gait Evaluation

Parkinson’s Disease

Urinary Incontinence

Home Safety Evaluation

Cross Cultural Training

Driving Assessment

Depression

Depression/ECT

Negotiating an Employment Contract

Legal Issues – Healthcare

Ethics – Decisional Capacity

Ethics – End of life

Bipolar Disorder

Psychosis

PTSD

Quality Improvement

Prevention

Palliative Care

Psychotherapy

Elder Abuse

Plus 6 weeks of topics presented and selected by the Geropsychiatry/Geromedicine Fellows

Geriatric Psychiatry Fellows Case Conference

This is a monthly conference to provide fellows the opportunity to delve more deeply into a topic of clinical interest, and have the opportunity to discuss cases with an expert faculty member.

Yale-Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit (ADRU) Seminar Series

ADRU faculty provide a monthly didactic session for fellows and trainees from multiple disciplines to enhance their understanding of the neurobiology of cognitive disorders and to review current research in the field.

Clinical Research Preceptorship

Fellows have the opportunity to pursue research interests during their clinical year of training. A variety of faculty members participate in research activities. Their projects include studies in geriatric depression, dementia, normal aging, neuroimaging, traumatic grief, and effects of stress in the elderly. The faculty serves as research mentors and assists the fellow in the development of a research project. Fellows have the opportunity to apply for an additional year of research training, if interested.

Journal Club

Fellows participate in two monthly evidence based journal clubs run by the geriatric psychiatry faculty members at different sites. Journal clubs review new scientific papers and landmark research in an evidenced based fashion. Faculty and Fellows lead the presentation and discussion.

In addition to these activities, many of the rotations offer site-specific rounds/seminars that include case based discussion and relevant literature review.